David Letterman Returning to TV for New Netflix Series

Like so many famous Davids, you’d never know if Letterman was content to enjoy retirement, or stage an unexpected comeback. The revered interviewer and former Late Show host is officially making a return to our lives, leading – what else – a new Netflix series doing what he does best.

Just over two years from Letterman’s final CBS Late Show, the icon has booked a 2018 return with an as-yet-untitled six-episode Netflix series comprised of “in-depth conversations with extraordinary people, and in-the-field segments expressing his curiosity and humor.” Each hour-long episode will see Letterman in long-form conversation with a singular guest, also said to “explore topics on his own, away from the studio.”

Letterman joked of the announcement “I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix. Here’s what I have learned, if you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely.” Netflix similarly expressed its excitement, albeit uncertainty with Letterman’s now-familiar grooming habits:

Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together. David Letterman is a true television icon, and I can’t wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We’ll have to see if he keeps the beard.

Letterman is far from the first iconic comic given free-reign at Netflix, as the streaming service also recently booked Carol Burnett for her own interview series. Either way, Letterman’s voice has been sorely missed, and we’re sure he’ll have plenty to say by 2018.